We see ordinary cabbage very often - there is nothing unusual in it. But Romanesco is a completely different matter: broccoli takes the form of a fractal (a complex geometric shape that looks almost the same at all scales of the factor). Thus, each individual piece of broccoli consists of small flowers, and they imitate the fractal shape to perfection, which is obtained from even smaller ones.
Romanesco is a mathematical miracle and resembles the Fibonacci series: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34 and beyond. This is a sequence of numbers that add up to the next number. But how broccoli mimics a series of complex numbers.
At the largest magnification, Romanesco turns out to be a spiral that starts from a central point. All small flowers are located around this spiral. In essence, this is a series of arcs whose radii are equal to the numbers in the Fibonacci chain - the “living” Fibonacci spiral.
If you tear off an integral part of the inflorescence, you will see that you have in your hands a mini version of broccoli with your own mini flowers. Whatever part of the fractal you consider, when you increase it, you will still see an identical picture. Oddly enough, such an “ideal” vegetable is found in nature.
A typical Romanesco inflorescence weighs between 300 and 600 grams. And since the close relatives of the vegetable are cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, it is rich in folic acid, potassium, vitamin C and fiber.
Cooking this cabbage is also not difficult: all over the world in most cases it is cooked like broccoli and only in Italy there are special recipes whose secrets are not disclosed. If you try it, you will feel a taste reminiscent of broccoli, but with a special nutty note and a more delicate texture.
